A doctor is facing a second-degree attempted murder charge after allegedly trying to kill his wife during a hike in Hawaii by pushing her off a trail, hitting her with a rock, and "poking her with two syringes".
Gerhardt Konig, a 46-year-old prominent anesthesiologist, was arrested on March 24 near Pali Highway on Oahu following a brief foot chase, Honolulu police confirmed.
As reported by NBC News, earlier that morning at approximately 10:00AM, Konig and his wife, Arielle Konig, had been walking along the Pali Lookout trail when he allegedly assaulted her, tried to push her off the path, and hit her in the head with a rock.
She was hospitalized in critical condition with facial and head injuries, police said.
Arielle also told investigators her husband tried to prick her with two syringes during the incident, though it’s unclear whether the syringes contained any substances.
According to authorities, the alleged attack followed a dispute after Arielle declined to take a photo with him.
The Honolulu Police Department launched a manhunt for Konig shortly after the incident, issuing a bulletin identifying him as an attempted murder suspect. He was apprehended later that evening near a highway.
Konig is a doctor with the Anesthesia Medical Group in Hawaii and had been working at various medical facilities across Maui, including the Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui Health confirmed in a statement, per ABC News: “Dr. Konig is employed by an independent entity contracted to provide medical services at various medical facilities on Maui, including Maui Memorial Medical Center.
"Dr. Konig’s medical staff privileges at Maui Memorial Medical Center have been suspended pending investigation. Maui Health takes these concerns and the safety of its patients very seriously and will cooperate with authorities as appropriate.”
As of Tuesday, Konig still held valid medical licenses in Hawaii. Records show his state license dates back to September 27, 2022, suggesting he is a relatively new resident.
Both Konig and his wife have professional roots in Pittsburgh.
Konig was previously an attending anesthesiologist at a women’s hospital and an assistant professor of anesthesiology and bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh’s Schools of Medicine and Engineering. A spokesperson for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center confirmed he had not been employed there for over two years.
According to her LinkedIn, Arielle Konig earned a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering from Penn State and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently works as a project manager for TerraPower, a company focused on nuclear reactor design and development.
The violent incident has prompted renewed attention to domestic violence in high-achieving households. Sanoe Kaaihue, executive director of Women Helping Women, spoke to Hawaii News Now, saying: “Both prominent people in our community. Not just him, but also her. Highly intelligent, highly successful folks.”
“DV (domestic violence) does not discriminate. I think time and time again, people are so surprised when they hear that it’s their teachers, it’s neighbors, it’s attorneys. It’s everybody from every single walk of life can be affected,” she added. “What you’re seeing now is an outward expression of the things that they’ve been experiencing within the household.”
Charges against Konig are pending review by the prosecutor’s office.